


A Reason to Hope

by callmeonetrack



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 09:13:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9315014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callmeonetrack/pseuds/callmeonetrack
Summary: Kara and Laura talk about the rescue mission to Caprica and the charms of Galactica.





	

Kara Thrace fidgeted uncomfortably, shifting her stance from leg to leg, crossing and uncrossing her arms. Standing on the upper balcony of the CIC, she could hear the com chatter from the CAP and her entire body itched to be in her bird. Kara had no idea why she’d been chosen for this security detail rather than some lieutenant or marine who didn’t have better things to do than babysit the president at a routine observational visit to Galactica.  

Noticing her discomfort, the woman in question leaned over. “It’s almost over, Captain. Hang in there.”

Frowning at being caught, Kara simply nodded curtly in acknowledgement, her eyes forward, a parody of a model officer. Of course, a model officer wouldn’t feel the urge to utter a string of creative curse words at the sight now displayed directly in front of her.

They were inescapable lately. And Kara knew she shouldn’t be bothered by it, especially since she’d practically been the one to string the bow and shoot the arrow directly into his ass. Arrow or bullet, anyway. Still, the sight of Lee and Dualla (she’d taken to using the petty officer’s full name because the cutesy, rhyming cadence of Lee-and-Dee just about wanted to make her vomit) practically slobbering on each other over the comm panel was a little much at 0800.

Kara looked away, her eyes scanning through the rest of the command center. All the usual suspects were in place. The Old Man was on the phone with someone. Cottle, maybe. Gaeta was yawning surreptitiously at the draedis and Kara knew it was because she’d been kicking his ass and stealing his loot at triad until 0200 this morning. Tigh was standing at the console, his hand repeatedly going to his front pocket then creeping away. She’d bet fifty cubits—if cubits were still worth anything these days—that it held a flask.

She stifled a sigh and returned her eyes front and center. Her vision filled with Lee, smiling and reaching out to touch Dualla’s hair. Kara rolled her eyes, and shifted her stance again, angling her body slightly diagonally, ostensibly to be closer to the president but really so that her direct line of sight included Gaeta and Tigh rather than the lovebirds.

It wasn’t that she was jealous of Dualla, she thought firmly, almost smirking at the ridiculousness of that idea. God knows, Lee could use a good frak or twelve. Besides, Dee was a nothing; a pretty, polite, shallow little girl who’d seen a chance to snag a commanding officer and left her poor little press secretary in the dust. Kara could almost admire her for that. Knowing what you wanted and actually going after it took courage. But it was living with the consequences of those actions that was the hard part. And as far as she could see, Billy had died and Dee hadn’t had much to answer for.

No, the blame and the guilt, that was Kara’s burden to bear, like always.If she hadn’t rushed in so impetuously, Lee wouldn’t have been shot and Billy wouldn’t have tried to be a frakking hero and the whole FUBAR situation wouldn’t have happened at all. So, she couldn’t blame Dualla for any of that, but she could resent the woman’s seemingly carefree attitude.

“I see Commander Apollo and Petty Officer Dualla have grown quite close since the incident on Cloud 9.” Roslin’s low voice buzzed in Kara’s ears and she tried to rein in her anger. _The incident._ Why didn’t they just call a spade a frakking spade? 

She turned slightly to observe the president. The older woman was watching Lee and Dualla too, with an expression Kara couldn’t quite read. She was pretty sure it wasn’t fond approval though. She wondered briefly who Roslin resented more: Dee for throwing Billy over or Kara for getting him killed. It wasn’t worth dwelling on. 

Kara realized the president was still waiting for an answer. “Yeah, I mean yes, sir. They…they’re good together.” Her throat twisted at the words she’d forced out. “She’s good for him.”

Both women studied the pair, watched as Lee smiled and Dee batted her eyes.But Dee turned and walked away to grab a printout from the console and the smile faded from Lee’s face, replaced by a frighteningly blank expression.

Kara shuddered slightly; she’d seen that look before. She’d caught him wearing it often since his space walk. Lee looked around then, catching first Kara, whom he stared at blankly, then Roslin watching him. He nodded solemnly at the president and mustered a weak smile. The woman returned it, her eyes lingering on him as she spoke again.

“Really? Well, I’m sure you would know better than I. The last time I saw Lee truly happy was… well I believe it was on the Astral Queen.”

Kara raised an eyebrow and before she knew it, she was answering back, her voice incredulous, in a tone very unsuitable for discussion with the president. “When his father had a gut full of lead and you were on the run, hiding out with criminals on a prison ship, from charges of treason and mutiny?” 

Roslin simply turned her head and smiled that same guileless smile she always wore. “When you came home, Captain.”

Kara swallowed hard, dropped her eyes to the floor, and felt her face burn. Dear gods, was she blushing? Like a 13-year-old Caprican schoolgirl. What the hell was wrong with her lately? “I- I had the arrow.” She muttered, stammering slightly. “We thought we were going to find Earth.” She stopped, hearing her words as the hollow excuses they were. “It was a different time, then.”

Now it was Roslin’s turn to sigh. “It was. The promise of Earth was so close.” She faced forward again, her eyes flickering to Lee once more. “We seem to have lost our way.”

Kara remembered what it was like to stand in the tomb and look up at a sky full of stars, grass under her feet and the smell of the earth flooding her nostrils. Then she remembered the last time she was planetside. She thought of promises and being lost. Roslin was sharp, and she had vision. Vision enough to send Kara after the arrow anyway. She wasn’t afraid, as the Old Man was fond of saying, to roll the hard six. 

Kara cleared her throat. “Yeah, about that. Madame President, now that you’re feeling better, maybe we could talk about the rescue mission to Caprica again.”

Roslin turned back to Kara and smiled not unkindly. “I appreciate how deeply you feel about this subject, Captain, but I am not prepared to revisit this—“

“But you’re prepared to let innocent civilians be left behind, left to their deaths?” Kara’s voice was low and murderous. “Is that what this is, sir? The Olympic Carrier all over again?”

The light shifted in Roslin’s eyes and the woman’s lips tightened into a hard grin. Still smiling, but with a deadly look in her eyes, the president spoke in clipped tones. “Captain Thrace, this war has forced all of us to make decisions and take actions that are difficult. Regretful, even.”

Kara frowned, but Roslin continued. “I suspect I have more regrets than most, but that is my burden to bear. This fleet is my responsibility and I have to serve it first and foremost. And what this fleet needs is to look forward, to move on and find a way to Earth, not undertake a frankly dangerous mission halfway across the galaxy into a hotbed of cylon activity.”

“Respectfully, sir,” Kara’s voice cut in angrily, dripping with sarcasm, “what this fleet needs is hope. And there’s precious little of that around here. We are tired and we’re sick of running, and Earth is nothing but a frakking pipe dream about now.” She licked her lips, talking quickly, vaguely aware that she’d just sworn at the president but too fired up to stop now. “Those people on Caprica, the survivors, we’re _their_ hope. And this fleet could use a reason to stand up and fight again.”Her eyes scanned Roslin’s face anxiously, trying to see if her argument was having any effect. She wasn’t sure.

“Just because it’s risky doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.” Kara paused, unsure if she should press her luck. “I learned that from you, sir.”  
  
Roslin was watching her carefully, her head tilted slightly, that same Cheshire cat grin playing on her lips again. “Well, Captain, you certainly present a compelling, if forceful, argument.” She turned back and swept her eyes over the pinched faces and downcast eyes of the CIC crew. Roslin’s gaze lingered on the Old Man, who’d taken his glasses off and was pinching the bridge of his nose, and then on Lee, still staring blankly at the console before him that dead look firmly affixed.

Kara was furiously trying to think of something else to say, something that would finally convince her. Frakking politicians, she thought. Roslin was probably only concerned that approving the mission would endanger her chances in next week’s election. The gears in her head were so busy churning, Kara almost missed the president’s softly spoken words.

“Maybe you’re right.” The president turned back to Kara, her eyes twinkling slightly now. “I’ll speak to the admiral about it.” 

For a moment, Kara Thrace was speechless. Elation bubbled up her throat and she could barely squeak out the words. “Thank-thank you, sir. You won’t regret it.” She grasped the president’s hand, squeezing it in her own a little too tightly and pumping it in a hard handshake.

Wincing only a bit, Roslin gracefully extricated her hand. “Don’t get too excited just yet Captain. I said I’d talk to Admiral Adama. I can make no guarantees.” Roslin raised an eyebrow. “That man can be very stubborn.”

“Right, of course, sir.” But Kara couldn’t contain her grin. She could convince the admiral if she had to. Getting the president’s permission pretty much gave the mission a greenlight though. Kara was very good at paying attention. The Old Man had quite the weak spot when it came to Roslin. Between the two of them, he wouldn’t be able to say no.

Her cheeks were aching she was smiling so hard, and Kara lifted her eyes to see Lee staring at her quizzically. She was so damn happy—and happy to see that stupid blank look wiped off his face—that she winked at him. Surprisingly, his lips curved into a real, warm smile, the kind she’d seen precious few of since he’d left to command Pegasus. She watched him raise an eyebrow and mouth “What?” and she laughed, a loud braying laugh that caused plenty of other heads turn her way too. 

Kara was so wrapped up in their little back-and-forth, she almost didn’t notice Roslin leaning in again. “If you’ll permit a word of advice, Captain?” She looked at the president with curiosity and nodded. “Don’t be so eager to fly back to Caprica that you underestimate the appeal of Galactica.” The woman’s glance flicked over to Lee, then back to look Kara in the eye. “It has its charms too.”

Stunned, she stared at the president. Did she know about Anders? Kara had been careful to leave the pyramid player’s name out of any discussions of the rescue mission, so no one would get the wrong idea. Her eyes flicked forward again in embarrassment. No, it was impossible. Helo was the only one—well Helo and Lee, but neither one would’ve said anything to Roslin about it. 

Mind occupied, Kara watched blankly as Dee—Dualla—walked back over to Lee’s side, smiling coquettishly up at him. It was easier now to ignore the little prickle that traveled up her own spine at the way he effortlessly smiled back at the young officer. She shifted her eyes to Gaeta, who was yawning again, and thought about the mission—how many jumps it would take, how many raptors they’d need, where they could land to safely take cover. She smiled; this was good.

The rest of the security detail flew by. Kara barely even noticed the five times Lee and Dualla snuck kisses when they thought no one was watching and the way Lee shot a glance directly at her after the fifth. Her head was filled with jump calculations and tactical strategies. 

This was the way it was supposed to be. She’d made a promise and Kara Thrace didn’t break her promises. She pushed Roslin’s final words out of her head. The charms of Galactica were lost to her now. Kara’s hope was light years away, on the planet she’d once called home. 


End file.
